Jesus Revealed Pt. 3 - Jesus, Real Life Begins With HimSample

John's Testimony - Part 2  

Thoughts on the Passage

This is John the Baptist’s testimony of Jesus. Yesterday, we saw how John wanted to see Jesus given greater honor – He is like a bridegroom and all the attention should go to him. John now goes further. Jesus brings His message from heaven and that message is much greater than the earthly message that John has.

It is a greater message because:

- He tells us things from heaven that we cannot know because we cannot see it.

- He tells us the words from God.

- God has empowered Jesus with His Spirit – He brings the power of heaven to this world.

- God has entrusted His message to Jesus.

- God releases life if we believe the message of Jesus.

The question often comes up – “Is Jesus the only one who has this message from God? What about all the other religions and their great leaders?” It is an important question. Why can we not just follow other leaders who carry a message they say is from God?

There are two reasons. 

First, Jesus is the only one who came from God. Everyone else is just human. Their message comes from man looking up and trying to understand God. Jesus is the only One from above bringing the message down as God wanted it revealed to us. 

Second, God shows us that the message of Jesus is different than any other – it is accompanied by the Holy Spirit and His power. His message comes with power – power to heal, power to change, but most importantly, power to give life. There is no other message – and no other messenger – that has this witness from God.

Application

Where have you wasted time looking for an answer in the wrong place? You cannot solve a math problem by looking in cook books. If you want answers from God about eternal life, we must go where He says the answers can be found – He placed all these answers in Jesus and Jesus’ message. The answers are not hard to find there.

The fullness of God’s Spirit is given to people who carry God’s message completely and faithfully. The Spirit’s power, authority and presence was with Jesus because He did this. As we hear, obey and carry the same message of God – we, God’s children can have the Spirit empower us as well.

Time to Pray

Father, I am reminded again that the message of Jesus is different. It comes with so much more than just the words He spoke. It comes with Your blessing and it comes empowered by Your Spirit. When I receive the message of Jesus, that blessing and empowering touches my life. That is what I want for my day. I want my day blessed – so I choose to follow the words of Jesus – as it came from You. I choose to let the power of Your Spirit touch me – and touch my world through me. Not because I am special – but because Your words are special and Your Spirit is special, and I can have both. In Jesus’ name, Amen.